Meanwhile, the Hurricanes are a perfect 4-0 in Game 7s since relocating to Carolina from Hartford in 1997. That said, the Canes have not appeared in a Game 7 in nearly a decade, when they defeated the Bruins 3-2 in overtime on May 14, 2009.

The Caps exorcised many of their playoff demons by winning their first Stanley Cup last season, but the possibility of more Game 7 heartbreak has Eric "EB" Bickel of The Sports Junkies feeling nervous.

"You're damn right (I'm terrified). You want all this fun to end in the first round?" EB said Tuesday. "It could be the end of the run. I mean, here we are. We're barely getting started."

"I did (have some swagger) going into the series. Now it's all dissipated, now we're in a Game 7 and an elimination situation."